Category: Religion

Baba Vanga, a mystic Bulgarian woman who died in 1996, has been known for predicting future events. She predicted the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the rise of Islamic terrorism and the Christmas tsunami of 2004. For 2018, there are two events that the blind woman said would become true.

China will overtake the USA as the world’s number one economic power and scientists will discover a new form of energy on our sister planet Venus. These two predictions may, in fact, just have a chance of becoming reality.

China’s economy has been growing steadily for many years. Today, China’s share of the world’s economy is at 15.6 % while the US still is the largest economic power at 16.7% . Many experts say that China will be overtaking the USA soon.

On the other side, NASA is not planning to send a space probe to Venus but will send a spacecraft to the sun in 2018. The mission was scheduled for 2015 but postponed because of technical problems. The probe will fly by Venus and scientists do not rule out new discoveries of the planet that may be made.

Baba Vanga, whom many followers call the Nostradamus of the Balkans, made predictions up to the year 5079, when, according to her, the world and the universe will come to an end. In 2028 the world will suffer a global hunger crisis and in 3005 a war on Mars will change the trajectory of the planet.

Referring to her predictions of 9/11 and Brexit, Baba Vanga said that two birds of steel would attack America and Europe would cease to exist in its known form by the end of 2016.

This year marks the 500th anniversary of the Protestant religion. On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther published his 95 theses, which criticized the Roman Catholic Church. As a result, the new religion broke away from the high church in Rome.

Luther nailed his list of criticismon the door of achurch inWittenberg, where hetaughttheology. He attacked the Church because it claimed that a sinner could reduce God’s punishment by giving money to the church. He also claimed that popes were too powerful and abused their power.

A few years later Martin Luther was excommunicated from the Roman Catholic Church. However, because of the printing press, which was invented at that time, his messagespread across most of Europe. The Reformationcaused widespread change in Europe. It led to wars and people leaving their home country in pursuit of religious freedom.

In England, Henry VIII broke his ties with the Roman Catholic Church and, based on Luther’s theses, founded the Anglican Church. Over the centuries Protestants have created many different branches of their religion. Many Protestants are found in Scandinavia, Germany and the United States.

About 800 million Protestants live in the world today. Even though there are still many disagreements between Protestantism and Catholicism, both churches have overcome their differences. Their relationship has improved since the 16th century.

The anniversary was celebrated throughout the Protestant world. Most ceremonies took place in Germany, the cradle of Protestantism.

Martin Luther

Words

abuse = to use something in the wrong way

anniversary = date on which something important happened in the past

attack = to criticise something in a strong way

based on = here: to create a new church out of Protestant ideas

cause = lead to

century = a hundred years

ceremony = important event that is performed in a traditional way

claim = to say that something is true

cradle = here: where everything began

disagreement = when two or more people do not have the same opinion

even though = while, although

excommunicate = to punish someone by no longer allowing them to be a member of the Roman Catholic Church

Authorities at Uluru National Park have announced that tourists will no longer be allowed to climb up to the top of Australia’s most famous landmark. The ban will take effect at the beginning of 2019. Officials say that Uluru, also known as Ayers Rock, is not an entertainment park, like Disneyland.

About 250 000 people visit the large red monolith in central Australia every year. However, only about 16% want to climb the rock.

Although Australia’s government wants to keep the site open for hikers to climb, the decision was made out of respect to the native Australians who consider Uluru as a sacred place. In 1985 the government returned it back to the aboriginalpeople of the region. For a long time , local residents have asked visitors not to climb the rock out of respect.

National park authorities are worried that hiking to the top of 1,100 ft high rock will damage the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Tour operators are now in search of other ways to show the monolith to its visitors, including camel rides around it.

Uluru National Park is open all year round, but climbing is only allowed on certain days because of strong winds and other weather conditions. Climbing the rock is not always safe. In the last 70 years , 35 people have died in climbing accidents.

Not all locals, however, are in favour of the ban. Some say that hiking should only be allowed with a guide and on special pathways.

Uluru – Image: Thomas Schoch

Words

Aboriginal people = people who have lived in Australia from the earliest times on

although = while

announce = to say officially

authorities = an official organisation that controls or is in charge of something

ban = order that stops something from being done

consider = think that…; look at something as …

damage = cause harm to something

entertainment park = area where you can go to in order to have fun, ride on roller coasters etc..

government = the people who rule a country

guide = person who shows you around a place

hiker = someone who walks long distances in the mountains

in favour of = to be for something

including = also

landmark = something that is easy to see , even from far away

local = a person who lives in the area

monolith = a large tall block of stone

native Australians = the people who have been in Australia before Europeans came

official = a person in an organisation who is in charge of something

pathway = track that is made for walking

resident = a person who lives in a place

sacred = holy , religious

take effect = put into effect, become a law

UNESCO World Heritage Site = place that has been selected by the United Nations because it is very valuable ; it should be protected by all countries